Don't Follow the Tracks
by Number4privetdrive
Summary: Dipper and Mabel set off to find a monster that they read about. But what they find isn't what they expected. Mild and minimal swearing. This is intended to be a multi-chapter fanfiction.


**Here's a chapter of a Gravity Falls fanfiction I'll be working on. **

**Rating: K+ (for minimal swearing)**

**Spoilers: Non yet, but there will be a small amount of spoilers. **

For who do I owe the pleasure?

For who disturbs thy slumber?

Why do you stare, wide eyed?

Why are shivers sent up your spin?

My greed

My wrath

Does it make your poor soul worry?

Worry no more

For I am only human

The poem echoes in my head like a cry in a cave. The words conduct my train of thought. I had read them only but minutes ago, etched in the bark of a tree.

The book I stare at holds no answers. Or maybe it does, I do not know. The poem holds no explanations or clues, as I wish it did.

Monster. That was the first thing that comes to mind. But the last line indicates that the "thing" is human. Or maybe it's figurative. Wait, how the hell would that be figurative?

Even though I was pretty wrapped up in my thoughts, I did notice the tracks. The tracks of…of something!

"Mabel!" I shout, "Look at this!" My sister bends down to take a closer look at the tracks.

"They look like feet of a monster or something," She observes.

" 'A monster or something' very insightful," I mumble. She ignores my comment and forges ahead.

"Let's follow them!"

"Mabel, wait! We don't know what that thing is." She stops walking and turns her head to face me. She pauses, and then speaks.

"That's all the more reason to follow it!" She says in her cheery way then continues walking.

Maybe it's the curious child within me, but I can't help but agree. I catch up with Mabel, so we can continue our quest.

What seems like forever had come to an end. The footsteps, or at least I'm assuming that it is footsteps, came to an end at the ever-so-cliché cave. (Seriously, all the monster stories start with caves.)

I scan the ground once more to check if there are any more tracks. Defeated, I start making my way into the cave (might as well try, right?). However, once we're in the cave I find nothing. Well, except for more cave.

Despite our disappointment, we continue to search for signs of anything.

"Hey Dipper, check this out!" Mabel yelled. My hear skips a beat, my mind explored the possibilities of things she could have found. I followed the sound of her voice to find her at a small opening. "Come on!"

She crawls through the opening, not knowing where it will take her. Of course she doesn't care though, she's Mabel. I don't have much of a choice, so I head in after her.

The tunnel is cramped and damp. After much crawling, the tunnel opens up. The arches are tall and wide, leaving more than enough room to stand. The wall is lined with writings from an old language. Pictures dance across the marble ceiling as we move further down.

But the room is narrow and winding, more like a corridor. The end can't be seen from where we stand.

Without hesitation, Mabel continues. The path often offers more than one option. I have little say in which way we go, Mabel is leading this operation. Dead ends are less than rare; we stumble upon them several times and have to turn around.

Eventually, we reach a large room. The pictures, once cheerful, are now dark and creepy. The words of the foreign language remain there. But English, warnings to turn back, does not join it. Though the thought leaves quickly, I conceder leaving.

A low rumble is heard behind us. Stone now seals the arch we came through. Wow, wow, wait…winding path, ancient writing−

"Mabel! We're in a labyrinth and where there's a labyrinth, there's monsters and traps!" I yell. She didn't have time to say anything, a tall dark figure appeared. A long black coat draped over his body. His skin as pale as the moon. His eyes glowed dim like the old lanterns in our attic.

He gracefully glided across the dirt floor, making his way to us. Long bony figures rested on my shoulder.

"Well, what do we have here?" He ponders aloud. He takes in a deep breath. "Did thou dare wake me from my slumber?" Mabel tries to stifle a giggle.

"Why is he talking funny?" Mabel whispers. The man glances at us, awaiting his answer. He doesn't receive one.

He grabs my face and cups it in his hands. My eyes dart from here to there. His nails dig further into my cheek.

"Who are you?" He asks a tone louder and a dash harsher.

"My name's Mabel!" My sister chirps, unaware of our situation. The man waits, I know what he's waiting for. Creepy eyes stare at me, breaking down my mental defense.

"Dipper," I mutter. His eyes lingered, almost unsatisfied, but I hold my gaze. He laughs.

"Ridiculous," He murmured, "Well _Dipper _and _Mabel, _What business do you have here? If it's good enough, I suppose I'll let you live.

I gulp, 'let you live'. I rack my brain to see if I had an answer that would do, because the true reason seemed unbelievable. But what would do? This man does not seem easily satisfied.

"W-we were looking for something and we found some tracks. So we followed them and then wound up here," I tried to explain. I stuttered and my voice cracked a little. A cold knowing gaze, the man was not surprised or pleased.

"You have been following my monster, have you now?" He asks. His voice calm with an undertone of irritation. Could this be the one we were searching for? Would it be hairy and tall? With large teeth and even larger claws? Or maybe it would by wit over physical ability.

I've stumbled upon many monsters in my days at gravity falls. Many with epic powers unknown by most humans. Each creature I came across brings something new.

"Yeah!" Mabel shouts excitedly, "What does it look like?" A cunning grin appears on the man's face.

"Oh you want to know what he looks like, do you?" He questions, almost teasingly.

"Yeah!" Mabel yells, unaware of the man's insincerity.

"Hmm, well he's no less than a towering fifteen feet. He has a long, shaggy mane. Claws that could gorge your eyes out at the end of each figure. And his teeth! My, how could I forget those? They could rip you to shreds in a single movement of the jaw," He rambles. Every syllable coated with over exaggeration.

I roll my eyes that could be 'gorged out' by his monster. It's evident that he's bluffing, but Mabel believes him whole-heartedly.

"Alright, let's see this 'monster'," I challenge.

"In time, my dear boy." Before I can process anything, I am struck behind the head. In an instant the world around me fades to black. Head thumping, I cry out to Mabel. But I do not know if my cries are heard.


End file.
